Minors can’t buy cigarettes, pornography or alcohol - and now the state is trying to ensure they can’t buy violent video games either.
An initiative introduced by Michigan Attorney General Jennifer Granholm on Thursday morning encourages retailers to enact regulations preventing minors from purchasing mature video games.
The Entertainment Software Review Board has a system to rate games on a scale similar to movies. It is not illegal, however, for minors to purchase mature games, rated “M,” from retailers.
The recommendations came after Granholm announced the results of an informal violent video game “shopping sting” conducted at 35 Michigan video game retailers and rental outlets.
Representatives from community-based organizations who support the initiative were also at the press conference.
“We have a number of initiatives on both the national and state (Parent Teacher Association) levels against having violent material available to children,” said Ronnie Coleman, president of the Michigan PTA. “We are asking retailers to help.”
Coleman said the PTA holds seminars for parents and has video and printed materials informing parents of how to keep violent material out of their children’s hands.
“As a parent, whatever we can do to make sure this information is out there is a good thing,” Coleman said. “I have a 14-year-old daughter, and I sit down with her watching TV and let her control the remote.
“We all have different methodology to find out what our children are watching.”
Target, one of only two retailers involved in the sting that did not sell to the undercover minors, said the implementation of a “we card” policy prevents minors from buying the games.
“We have a written policy and do not sell M-rated video games to minors,” said Kristin Jahnke, a Target spokeswoman. “When an M-rated video game is purchased, a message comes up asking for identification to continue with the sale.”
Jahnke said the policy is only about two months old but the company has been studying the issue for a long time.
“Certainly there was a lot of interest on this topic nationally,” she said. “We’ve really been watching this issue.”
John Zimmerman, director of community relations for Meijer stores, said he was unaware of the sting which found a Meijer store selling violent games to minors. He said the company is working to stop underage sales from occuring.
“I was not aware of the press conference, but it’s ironic because we’ve implemented an ID-checking policy as of (Thursday),” Zimmerman said. “Now anyone under 17 purchasing video games, movies, anything like that with a rating (will be asked for ID).”
Zimmerman said this new policy should prevent any more violent material from getting into children’s hands.
